acebutolol

Do not stop taking acebutolol without first talking to your doctor. Stopping suddenly may make your condition worse.

If you need to have any type of surgery, you may need to temporarily stop using acebutolol. Be sure the surgeon knows ahead of time that you are using acebutolol.

Acebutolol can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Avoid drinking alcohol, which could increase drowsiness and dizziness while you are taking acebutolol.

Acebutolol is only part of a complete program of treatment for hypertension that may also include diet, exercise, and weight control. Follow your diet, medication, and exercise routines very closely if you are being treated for hypertension.

Hypertension often has no symptoms, so you may not even feel that you have high blood pressure. Continue using this medicine as directed, even if you feel well. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.

Acebutolol is in a group of drugs called beta-blockers. Beta-blockers affect the heart and circulation (blood flow through arteries and veins).

Acebutolol is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and heart rhythm disorders.

Acebutolol may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Before taking acebutolol, tell your doctor if you have:

• asthma, bronchitis, emphysema;
• diabetes;
• low blood pressure;
• a heart problem such as heart block, sick sinus syndrome, slow heart rate, or congestive heart failure;
• depression;
• liver or kidney disease;
• a thyroid disorder;
• myasthenia gravis;
• pheochromocytoma; or
• problems with circulation (such as Raynaud's syndrome).

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use acebutolol, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

Acebutolol can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Take acebutolol exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts or for longer than recommended by your doctor.

Take this medication with a full glass of water.

Take acebutolol at the same time every day.

Do not skip doses or stop taking acebutolol without first talking to your doctor. Stopping suddenly may make your condition worse.

To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood pressure will need to be checked on a regular basis. It is important that you not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon that you are using acebutolol. You may need to briefly stop using acebutolol before having surgery.

Acebutolol is only part of a complete program of treatment for hypertension that may also include diet, exercise, and weight control. Follow your diet, medication, and exercise routines very closely if you are being treated for hypertension.

Hypertension often has no symptoms, so you may not even feel that you have high blood pressure. Continue using this medicine as directed, even if you feel well. You may need to use blood pressure medication for the rest of your life.

Store acebutolol at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If your next dose is less than 4 hours away, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Symptoms of an acebutolol overdose may include uneven heartbeats, shortness of breath, bluish-colored fingernails, dizziness, weakness, fainting, or seizure (convulsions).

Acebutolol can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Avoid drinking alcohol, which could increase drowsiness and dizziness while you are taking acebutolol.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• slow or uneven heartbeats;
• feeling light-headed, fainting;
• feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion;
• swelling of your ankles or feet;
• nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
• depression; or
• cold feeling in your hands and feet.

Other less serious side effects are more likely to occur, such as:

• decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm;
• sleep problems (insomnia);
• tired feeling; or
• anxiety, nervousness.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Before taking acebutolol, tell your doctor if you are using:

• allergy treatments (or if you are undergoing allergy skin-testing);
• clonidine (Catapres);
• guanabenz (Wytensin);
• an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil), or selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam);
• a diabetes medication such as insulin, glyburide (Diabeta, Micronase, Glynase), glipizide (Glucotrol), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), or metformin (Glucophage);
• a heart medication such as nifedipine (Procardia, Adalat), reserpine (Serpasil), verapamil (Calan, Verelan, Isoptin), diltiazem (Cartia, Cardizem);
• medicine for asthma or other breathing disorders, such as albuterol (Ventolin, Proventil), bitolterol (Tornalate), metaproterenol (Alupent), pirbuterol (Maxair), terbutaline (Brethaire, Brethine, Bricanyl), and theophylline (Theo-Dur, Theolair); or
• cold medicines, stimulant medicines, or diet pills.

If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to take acebutolol, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect acebutolol. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Your pharmacist has additional information about acebutolol written for health professionals that you may read.

Acebutolol is available with a prescription under the brand name Sectral. Other brand or generic forms may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you.

• Sectral 200 mg--purple/orange capsules
• Sectral 400 mg--brown/orange capsules